The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 49.4 percent in May of the current year, down 0.7 percentage points compared to April, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In May, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was down 0.4 percentage points compared to April, decreasing to 51.7 percent, while the new order index for the sector decreased by 1.6 percentage points compared to the previous month to 49.8 percent.
The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 47.4 percent in May, up 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Also in May, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 47.0 percent, down 0.2 percentage points, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.9 percent, up 1.0 percentage point, both month on month.